BISMARCK, ND. - Joint teams of disaster recovery experts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) and local officials will begin Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) Wednesday, May 8 to determine the scope and extent of this year's flood damages.

In his May 1 letter to FEMA Region VIII, Gov. Jack Dalrymple requested FEMA to send a PDA team to North Dakota. In that letter, he listed 18 counties and one tribal area that have been affected by the spring flooding.

State and federal teams will meet with local officials to look at roads, bridges, culverts, and other infrastructure damages in addition to reviewing flood-related expenses such as emergency measures and debris clean up.

Preliminary Damage Assessments will be conducted in the following tribal area and counties:

Benson

Bottineau

Cass

Eddy

Foster

Grand Forks

McHenry

Pembina

Ramsey

Ransom

Renville

Richland

Rolette

Towner

Traill

Walsh

Ward

Wells

Spirit Lake Nation

Governor Dalrymple originally requested an emergency declaration in 14 counties and one tribal area. FEMA granted a limited emergency declaration for six counties in the Red River Valley. If damages occur in counties that do not have a declared federal disaster, those counties may be added to the federal declaration request.

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The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services provides 24/7 emergency communications and resource coordination with more than 50 lead and support agencies, private enterprise, and voluntary organizations to assist local jurisdictions in disaster and emergency response activities. It administers federal disaster recovery programs and the Homeland Security Grant Program.